The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-08-11
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

Practical Duties Taught by a Study OF the Inter-
national sundaY-scho0l Lesson Appointed for
Aug. q. st. Matt, 5:I7-eB.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph FROM the Holy Scriptures AS
Indicated abOve.l
SUBJECT: JESUS AND THE LAW AS APPLIED
TO THE Sixth COMMANDMENT.
Our lesson is still portion Of the Sermon Of
Jesus on Mt. Beatitudes. 1t consists of refine
ments Of Christ on the Sixth Commandment
" Thou shalt not killP The Pharisaic exegesis
thereof Is set aside. The spirit OF the command
as well as its letter is enforced. The Speaker
demanded we must avoid even all thoughts and
words which tend tow4fd murder. lie spoke
in the month OF May, ~ ID. q. Both the Dis
ciples and the multitude were hearers (5:I;
7:25
by righteousness (v. 2O) is meant piety,
as shown in the life and expressed by the word
character-not ceremony, but honesty, chastity,
purity, temperance, fear Of God, love Of men
These qualities exceed titles and ablutions.
The Pharisees thought themselves the choicest
specimens OF righteousness. Christ's statement
must have been very offensive to them. OF
course Christ did not mean that every Scribe
and Pharisee lacked righteousness. Probably
some were unexceptionally good (St. Matt,
8: z; %: Is 30; 81. Mark, 12: 35-40; St. Lu,
1l:47, A.; 20: Az Christ had an exalted ideal
Of the right. lie set up new standards. Men
who had passed for superior persons morally,
were exceedingly defective when placed in the
scales OF Jesus. He was establishing a king
dom strictly Christian, and setting forth the
principles of his reign. He was King They
who attached themselves TO him were said to
enter his Kingdom. Because Of its grand ideal.
its. purely righteous basis, it was styled tie
Kingdom OF Heaven. The subjects Of Christ's
Kingdom were required 10 be Of greater moral
a r
Pharisoes.s The only excuse Jesus could have
for his mission was that there was call for a
higher moral code than that already enforced,
else Jesus was but a superfluity. The right
e0usness Of Christians must surpass that of the
Jews of Christ's day. The verse implies the
Pharisees had some righteousness, but not
enough. Their righteousness was wanting in
that IL dealt too much with mere externals
The verse does not mean that If we be a little
better than the Pharisees we shall be received
by Christ. The reference is not so much to the
quantity OF the righteousness as to its spirit
Iholuck says There is a fulfllment Of the
law in It's mere letter which is really trans
gression Of the law" If a man fulfill the law
simply with view Of fulfilling tiff he see
not the beauty, the philosophy. the moral prin-
cipe and the eternal intrinsic utility of the
law-he does not come up to the measure Of
righteousness prescribed by the Gospel
Christ illustrates by citing the Sixth Com
mandment, and showing bow TO keep it in the
spirit as well as in the letter. The letter kill
eth, the spirit giveth life. Ii was not Christs
purpose TO destroy the law, but TO see that il be
| fulfilled We get hint rs to ChTist's method
OF preaching. IL was direct and personal, bold
instead Of apologize. We observe, too, that
entry into the Kingdom Of Christ is dependent
on Righteousness alone. Also, We see that God
| is impartial. " 20.) There are no fayorites
| with him on any other basis than purity III
the Scribes and Pharisees were so defective,
/ what we say OF the people2 Was not past
explanation Of the defect Of the masses the fact
their teachers were so lacking? What was the
condition Of the Scrfbes and Pharisees and
1 hence Of the people as 10 aceeptableness with
God and hope Of salyatioh2 OF course the
coming Of Christ in halo Of light and as
| brilliant illuminator of truth, placed greater
responsibility on all who saw and heard him
After such experience greater righteousness
would be required as q condition Of Gods
| favor.
Thou shalt not kill" This Commandment,
relates mainly 10 the Staying of human beings
but it is very comprehensive. II forbids ia
spirit cruelty TO hruJes. IL is generally ad
| mitted even Ivy Christian iexegesis that it i.
not against killing in self-defense nor by Judi
cial sentence. The majority of eyangelic cas-
uists do not see it forbids war. Ii does not for
bid what is called righteous Indignation. (St
4 hhTk, d. d Lpif-s - - Ot- Luz Ia ZI.b Inc
Master" points 10 God, stands in the parable
for him. We have (l) unjust anger, anger
without reasonable cause; (2J contemptuou,
anger. anger finding vent in abusive epItbets
(3) anger leading the man in passion Il
charge his opponent with guilt for sin. Dc
not attempt TO worship God in any such fran,
| Of mind.
Ethical suggestions:
]. The pety OF religious teachers should b,
superior. The people look up TO them and fee
quite content il they can believe themselves Il
be on par in morals with such. In fact, thei
consciences do not lash them, even if they know
themselves 10 have less attainment than tn,
professional Instructors lt was sad that tha
Scribes aud Pharisees were defective Afte
all, religion il n personal matter. We must no
compare ourselves with anybody save Christ
10 is no apology with the layman IL his pasto
subject himself TO just unfavorabe criticism
DO not congratulate yourself even If better thar
many ministers. But elergymen should b
careful aud set high standard, from the fac